


lie to me, pick me up

by ro_blaze



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Elves, F/F, Princess!Lucy, lady!minerva, sorta fake marriage but not really, technically a lotr-esque fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 16:11:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17770019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ro_blaze/pseuds/ro_blaze
Summary: princess lucy is of a desperate need of help. a not-so-kind stranger turns to be just what she needs. and perhaps a little more than she can take.[lotr-esque fantasy au; two-shot]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Newget](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Newget/gifts).



> HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY GWEN I LOVE YOU SO MUCH
> 
> (betaed by the lovely [icemakestars](archiveofourown.org/users/icemakestars))

As she made her way through the crowds, Lucy decided she would never again listen to the one Sting Eucliffe.

Especially concerning marriage.

It was not supposed to be like this. She was a renowned hero, a legend of the future day. She’d killed and almost been killed more time than she could have counted, she’d brought tyrants to their knees and crowned queens. Her hands were drenched with blood. She was not, as her father thought, a child to be ordered and commanded and sold off like a breeding sow.

Yet, she was treated as one.

A frown came to her face as she failed to see her companions among the people. It shouldn’t have been hard to find them, with Erza’s flaming hair and Sting’s loud cries. The lanterns played with her vision and made the colors shift, casting everything in a soft orange glow, as if in an eternal sunset. Perhaps, in any other given moment, she could have enjoyed it--it reminded her of the woods of Lorien she’d grown up in.

Lucy yearned for her friends, yearned for their company, for Erza’s sound logic and Mira’s sweet  reassurances  and most of all for Sting’s unwavering optimism. Alas, she couldn’t seem to find either of them, so lost in the pressing crowds. People would stop and nod their heads to her, pull her into small talk, but never stay enough. Not enough to catch her attention for true, not enough to break her from the bleak mood this celebration put her in.

With only some mild difficulty, Lucy made her way towards the nearest table with refreshments and reached out to pick a goblet of sweet-smelling red wine. A slender, long-fingered hand beat her at the last moment, and she lifted her head towards its owner.

The lady stood tall, easily towering over her at least half a foot. The smooth royal purple robes she wore complimented her figure, in sharp contrast with the simple but elegant gold jewelry. Her long hair glimmered like velvet in the low light, black like the night and for a fleeting moment, Lucy wondered if it felt as soft as it looked.

“My princess” the lady greeted with a gentle nod of her noble head but did not bow. Her face was flawless, from the high cheekbones to the perfect nose. Her voice carried a soft accent that brought the image of the sea to mind. “It’s an honor to finally meet you. I’ve heard countless stories about you.”

“It is my pleasure” Lucy said, for once finding it hard to follow all the formal etiquette she’d been taught through her life. It was a rare occurrence for someone to manage to intimidate her in such a manner. “But I’m afraid I haven’t had the privilege of meeting you.” 

The lady’s perfect red lips pulled into a smile that barely touched the corners of her eyes and she let out a sound in what Lucy could only assume was amusement. She wanted to frown and question it, but whoever this woman was, she needed to make a good first impression. She was a princess, she had an image to uphold.

“You’re right, Your Highness. We haven’t met before. But I happen to know who you are.” She held one hand to her heart and bowed forward in common elven greeting, the other still holding the goblet of wine they’d both reached for. “Lady Minerva of the Ercësilvas to your services, my princess.”

Lucy gave an easy smile and extended her hand out in a gesture that had grown into a habit through the years of her travels. Instead of holding it, to her surprise lady Minerva leaned down and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, a lock of her hair touching her skin, featherlike. If she noticed the callouses from years of pulling the bowstring or the cuts of intricate knife work, she either didn’t care enough to mention it or was too polite for it.

“Lady Minerva” Lucy called softly, testing the name on her tongue so she wouldn’t forget it. She found she liked the way it rang. “I must apologize for almost taking your drink, it was deeply unkind of me.”

“Do not apologize, my princess, it is not something that would bother me.” Lady Minerva handed her the goblet with a graceful movement, then reached out to pick a second one for herself. “You appear distracted. Please, do share, is there something that troubles your mind?”

The words almost slipped from her mouth and Lucy had to bite her tongue to hold back the need to share her worries. Years of travel and court life both had taught her to keep her tongue behind her teeth and hold her thoughts close to her heart, lest she gets burned by it.

“I’m afraid it’s not something that should be shared with strange ears” she said with a soothing smile, not for first time yearning for Mother’s or aunt Anna’s ways with people. “No offense to you.”

“None taken” lady Minerva reassured her, the corner of her lips pulling in a way that only reminded of mischief. “Although, as matters are, I think I can turn out to be quite useful to ease your pains.”

“What do you happen to mean?” Lucy asked, tilting her head to the side in a habitual gesture.

“Sting sends me.” Instead of elaborating, lady Minerva held up a small, familiar jewel. Lucy watched, mesmerized, as the deep green gem spin on its golden chain. As far as her knowledge went, the earring was supposed to be hanging from a particular dragon’s left ear. “He mentioned some of your… recent struggles.” What could have been only a grin came to her mouth. “He thinks I can help you.”

Lucy looked at the goblet of wine in her hand, still untouched. Sting had dragged a stranger in her mess and ran off somewhere to join the celebration. She chided herself for being surprised – as reasonable as he’d been of late, he was barely more than a hatchling, a young one by that. No wonder he found more joy in dancing than nursing her pain over Father’s delusional decisions.

“I will decide that” she said with all princess authority she had, fingers gripping her goblet. “Will you join me for a walk in the gardens then, my lady? I think there’s much we should discuss to see if my dear Sting is right – and if he is, then we shall let him know.”

As an answer, lady Minerva offered her arm. Lucy gave her best diplomat smile and rested her free hand on the crook of her elbow, then allowed herself to be led to the gardens outside. She didn’t fail to notice the way those lips pulled into what only seemed like a victorious smirk.

The cold air outside was a pleasant change after the seemingly endless celebration. Lucy closed her eyes and enjoyed the biting chill on her bare arms, the breeze dancing around her feet and rustling the hem of her dress. When she opened her eyes, she was met with the soft light of the full moon. The stars winked at them, sparkling like adamants in the inky sky.

The two walked in silence for a while, simply enjoying the freedom from the stuffy atmosphere inside. Lucy quickly fell in stride, long used to walking along someone taller with her, even as the lady didn’t seem interesting in slowing her steps to accommodate. It spoke enough of her pride–Lucy found she liked the challenge.

“Stop” she called at once, her voice ringing in the empty gardens. Lady Minerva looked at her in confusion, her face breaking in amusement when Lucy reached under her skirts and removed her slippers. The grass felt damp under her toes and she let out a soft breath of relief. “My stars.”

“You seem to be enjoying yourself, princess” lady Minerva suggested, voice laced with mirth. “Would you like us to sit somewhere? Perhaps that way we could enjoy our wine without accidentally ruining your dress. What a loss it would be, too.”

Had she known her any better, Lucy would have laughed. Instead, she gave a bright smile. Holding her slippers in one hand and her goblet in the other, she headed towards the closest bench. As if in half-surprise, lady Minerva followed.

The wine tasted sweet on her lips, reminding her of long summer nights under the dark sky and the cracking of fire. Lucy played with her goblet and took another sip. A part of her, deranged as it was, missed those days. The danger of death waiting on every corner seemed only a small part of all her good memories.

“So, tell me now” lady Minerva spoke, pulling her from her reverie. “What troubles you, princess? What dims the smile on your face?”

“You spoke with Sting. Hasn’t he told you enough?”

“I’m afraid not. I’d be honored to learn from you.”  Lady Minerva stroked the rim of her goblet. “As long as you’re comfortable with it, of course. I don’t wish to upset you any further.”

Could she share? Lady Minerva didn’t seem bothered by her silence and Lucy appreciated her patience, taking a sip of her own drink in a weak attempt to bring herself to think. Trusting people came harder the longer you lived, and Lucy had seen plenty of years.

“My father wishes for me to marry” she said at last, staring at the far distance. Her fingers gripped her goblet, pads digging into the metal. “I’ve found I don’t share his opinion.”

“I see.” Lady Minerva set down her now empty goblet. “Sting mentioned something along the lines of marriage, but I wanted to know from the source.”

“Why has he told you?” Lucy made a face at her words. Poor choice. “Excuse me if I sound coarse, my lady, it was not my intention. But, as we already established, I do not know you and neither you me. How in the world does he think that you might be of use to me?”

“Oh, but you’re so innocent, my princess.” The lady’s smile was one of a predator and Lucy, who’d found through nail and tooth, felt shivers run down her spine. “I shall be quite useful to you, as long as you welcome my help.”

To her utter shock, lady Minerva reached out and ran the tips of her gloved fingers over her cheek. Lucy felt her breath catch in her throat. These days, scarce people dared to touch her, as if afraid she could crumble to dust at her feet. But the lady did not fear, even as her touch was gentle and featherlike.

“Forgive me for I might sound forward” she spoke, her breath warm against Lucy’s cheek, “but doesn’t it not put you at ease to pick who you join with by your own accord?” Her eyes sparkled with something akin to mischief and for the first time, Lucy managed to catch their color – a deep emerald green that reminded her of lush tropical forests and deep, quiet lakes. “Wouldn’t you enjoy it more if you were to choose your spouse?”

To be truthful, Lucy would have preferred to not wed at all, but her father would have none of it. So, wed she must.

“It will” she agreed with a nod of her head. “But, alas, I have no one who holds my heart.”

“Is there no friend you trust enough to share your life with?”

“There are.” Lucy’s smile was bittersweet. “But I love my friends from the depths of my heart and I do not wish them to sacrifice their own happiness for me. Our kind joins for life.” Her fingers gripped the silk of her dress. “No. I shall not take all they hold dear from them just to save my own skin.”

Lady Minerva watched her in a peculiar way. Lucy shied away from her, as much as the bench allowed. One would think after so many years, she would have learned to be in the center of attention. But the lady’s gaze was sharp, as if stripping each layer from her skin, and it almost made her whimper.

“Would you take someone else, then?” she asked, her voice soft like velvet.

Lucy stared at her, puzzled. Could she be talking about the same thing she thought of?

“It doesn’t have to be true” the lady continued. “You might play it for a while, a couple of years, until your father is convinced of the truth of your union. After all, what are but a few years to the immortal life of one elf?”

The lady spun her tale like a spider spun its web. Lucy listened, captivated by the gentleness of her voice, by the way her words resonated with so much sense. It could be easy. It could be so easy.

“And who you offer to play marriage with me?” she asked, raising her head up. In the sky, the moon had reached her peak, staring at them with her all-seeing eyes. Her confidence only grew at the soft silver light. “It’s not an easy thing to ask for. To lie to a king.”

“Ah, who else, but me?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part two of this trainwreck. i can only hope you're enjoying it, gwen!

Lies, lies, so many lies. Never in her life had Lucy trusted the power of deception. Her childhood was spent in lessons in politics and ruling, honing her talents in acting and illusion. She lied her way out of many messes, but she’d never enjoyed the bitter aftertaste it left in her mouth. It was hard to rule when one had as strict morals as she did. It was hard to do it, put her heart in what she was supposed to do when her soul held no desire for it.

She watched her promised with a mixture of confusion and mistrust. Lady Minerva was easily the perfect spouse one could dream of – beautiful to the impossible, elegant, intelligent, capable in whatever she seemed to pick up, well-learned and agreeable. She couldn’t understand how someone like that hadn’t been long tied off.

The lady seemed to radiate confidence as they strolled down the flower aisle together, arm in arm. Mira--oh, her precious Evenstar--had delighted at the announcement of their engagement and allowed them to stay in Imladris as much as they desired, to learn about each other and grow close before the foreseeable wedding.

It felt horrible, lying to her friends about the true nature in this union, but some evils were necessary for happiness. It left a feeling of betrayal in her mouth, the taste of ash heavy on her tongue. Lucy took the weight of her lies on her own shoulders, promising to herself no one would carry the guilt of this deception but her. Lady Minerva seemed to amuse herself with those words.

“You are so naïve, my princess” she spoke as they walked, her arm warm under Lucy’s fingers. “Perhaps one day in the future, you will learn to not weight yourself by something as simple as a single lie.”

“My lady mother used to say lies poison one’s soul” Lucy countered, her free hand fisted in the skirts of her dress. “And there’s a fine line between what you say for someone else’s good and the deeds you do for your own good.”

“Why someone else’s happiness and safety should be put above your own?” lady Minerva asked, voice sharp with what Lucy assumed was only bitterness. “Are you not as important as the people around you? Don’t you deserve joy, princess?”

“Everyone deserves the joy of life” she agreed, somehow subsided. “But… should it be protected with lies and falsehood?” 

Lady Minerva motioned to speak, then closed her mouth with a mild frown on her beautiful face. Neither of them picked the topic again, instead preferring the comfortable silence surrounding them.

The Gardens of Imladris shone in the soft sunlight as they walked and Lucy couldn’t help but notice how the sight was no less pleasurable than the one in the moonlight. The vibrant colors of the various flowers, the thick scent of spring blooms was something she greatly missed through those years of travel.

“Do you have gardens like this in your home, my lady?” she asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Lady Minerva stopped in her stride and Lucy did the same, doing her best to stay upright and not make a fool of herself. If the lady noticed, she did not comment on it, instead reaching to the closest flowerbed and picking a bright pink bloom.

“We do” she said with a smile that seemed to soften the edges of her face. Then she rose up and tucked the flower in Lucy’s hair. “I think it does your splendid. The color brings out the youth in you, my princess.”

Despite everything, her chest grew warm at the kind words and Lucy smiled. Why worry? Lady Minerva could make a good wife, even if it was all a falsehood. She’d only known her for a fortnight yet enjoyed being in her presence greatly, enjoyed those walks in the gardens as they spoke about everything and anything.

“Thank you, my lady. I will make sure to cherish these blooms” she said, lowering her head in gratitude.

Before the lady could answer, Lucy went ahead, looking around for a flower to match her lady’s gift. At last, she came to a tall bush of purple roses. Her hands reached out and gently plucked the one she found herself to love the most. She ran her fingers down the length of the stem, making sure to not hurt herself on the sharp thorns. It was beautiful, she thought. It was perfect.

Lady Minerva’s face cracked into a smile when she returned, the tall rose clutched in her hands. Lucy felt heart rise to her cheeks as she held out the flower, the soft purple petals caressing her skin.

“Oh, but my princess” she spoke, her eyes shining with mirth, “what do I owe this gift to?”

“You’ve been only kind with me, my lady” Lucy said, her grip on the bloom softening as her confidence grew. “You’ve come to me when I needed help and have asked for nothing in return. You speak of happiness and joy and seek to save me from a dark fate with no question of your own gain. I cannot be more thankful to you. For all you’ve done for me, it seems only fitting for me to show my gratitude, be it even as something as small as a single flower.”

Lady Minerva accepted the gift with the most serene smile. Lucy felt something settle at her core, spreading throughout her body and filling her with warmth. Her lips pulled to match the lady’s smile.

“I will hold your gift close to my heart, my princess” she spoke, voice down to a whisper.

The tall rose fit perfectly in the lady’s slender fingers, as if they were meant to be, and Lucy couldn’t help but enjoy the sight of it. The purple matched her preferred colors and did her grace more than any other could; the thorns showed she could be as much dangerous as she was beautiful.

“I’m most pleased to know that.”

A hand pressed to her cheek and Lucy’s breath hitched in her throat. Lady Minerva held her gaze with a power she hadn’t expected as her fingers ran over her skin, slipping from her jaw down to her neck. At last, she reached her wrist and lifted it up, lacing their fingers together in a symbol that wasn’t lost. To anyone who watched, the meaning of this – of their union – would be most clear.

“Ah, your words bring joy to my bruised heart, my princess.” Had she not known it to be a farce, her heart could have melted. And yet, it still filled her with warmth. “The only gain I desire is you – there’s nothing else I would want more.”

Her lips were soft when they pressed to hers and Lucy gasped, all sense collapsing around her.

She was not ignorant to the art of kissing and romance, not as much she seemed. In the centuries she’d been graced with existence on this world, she’d learned everything about what love was and what love was not. She’d been kissed and she’d kissed.

It was nothing to compare.

Lady Minerva’s mouth was warm, her lips tasted sweet and soon enough, Lucy found herself addicted to it. She sighed softly when their bodies pressed to together, tilting her head to the side. Lady Minerva took her invite astride and pushed further, until there wasn’t a breath’s space between them, her hands gently resting on her hips.

When she finally deigned to pull away, Lucy could barely breathe, her heart caught in her throat, chest heaving. Lady Minerva inspected her with a critical eye, then reached over and ran her thumb over her lip, wiping away the red.

“My lady” Lucy gasped out, her voice a rasp.

“Your lips taste most delicate, my princess” the lady said, then pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I will be most delighted if you were to allow me a second try. May I?”

Lucy nodded her head with vigor. Lady Minerva smiled her soft serene smile and kissed her. So Lucy closed her eyes and kissed back, something thrumming deep in her chest.

They spent most of the afternoon kissing and holding hands and walking together in the soft sunlight. Lucy found herself growing strangely used to the warmth of her fingers, to the sound of her laughter. She’d never was the one to notice such small details in someone else – the curl in the end of her mouth, the flutter of lashes against her cheek, the stray lock of hair by her ear, the chipped corner of her nail – but now she did. All those details made it all feel even more real.

Kissing her was as easy as breathing, and Lucy found she couldn’t get enough of it. Not nearly enough – when the Lady would pull away, she would follow, eager for more of the sweet taste of her lips.

“You look as if enchanted” lady Minerva said, her slender fingers caressing her cheek and wiping away some of that red again. “Are you sure you’re not under a spell?”

Lucy laughed. She’d never felt more alive before. She didn’t know why, she didn’t know the cause of it. Perhaps it was a spell for real. Perhaps there was something magic and secret under the Purple Lady’s lips and she was the next prey to its needs.

Strangely, she didn’t care for it.

“Not at all” she reassured her. “I’m just enjoying this. Being alive.”

Lady Minerva didn’t answer but for a hum. Lucy watched her, enamored by the way the orange glow of the setting sun set fire to her skin and made her look even more like the vision she was. When the lady met her eyes, the emerald sheen caught her in surprise and she tripped on nothing, losing her balance.

“Oh my!” The lady’s laughter was sweet in her ears, her hands strong when she reached to hold her from falling. “Dear princess, are you alright? Oh, forgive me if it was me who startled you, it was surely not my intention.”

Lucy nodded her head, red of shame burning in her cheeks. Lady Minerva fussed on her, not unkindly, smoothing down her dress and brushing the hair from her face. When skin touched skin, it was fire and storm and burn. Her throat tasted of something primitive and not at all elven.

The lady adjusted her circlet at last, slender fingers brushing her hair away so she could set the woven silver-and-gold between them. Lucy watched, admiring the gentle curve of her wrists, delighting in the slivers of bare skin those long sleeves hid.

“Beautiful” lady Minerva breathed out, her voice like out of a dream. “Dear princess.”

She didn’t elaborate. Lucy didn’t ask her to. When their hands caught together, she squeezed as much as she could. The lady’s grip was strong and firm but not unkind. If she wanted, she could crush her fingers to fine dust. But she didn’t. Lucy saw something – _something_ – in the sharp gleam of her eyes.

She wanted that something.

“The sun is setting” lady Minerva said at last, lowering their hands so they rested by their sides. “We ought to return inside, lest our host grows unsettled with our absence.”

Her grip did not waver. Lucy saw no strain in her hands, no effort in her shoulders.

“May we stay to watch the sunset, my lady?” she asked then. Her voice was firm and her shoulders set square. It was not a question.

Lady Minerva tilted her head in a birdlike manner, calculating. Lucy did not miss a beat, staring in those emerald eyes, searching for it.

At last, the lady smiled. Her smile was easy, glimmering in her eyes in a way that made Lucy’s heart leap into her throat.

“Of course, my dear princess” she said, her voice less than a whisper and more of purr. She did not drop her hands and instead reached their laced fingers to stroke the side of her face, knuckles gently pressing to her cheekbone. “Who am I to deny you, _meleth_?”

_Meleth. Love_. Lucy stared at her and saw delight etched in those cheekbones, in that smile, in the perfect curve of her jaw.

“Come to me, dear.”

**Author's Note:**

> come visit me at my tumblr, [pan-princess-levy](http://pan-princess-levy.tumblr.com/)


End file.
